Tucker factory

[Ron Flowers]

I bought Philip Egans book at the meeting in Volo. I must say, I am disappointed. He refers several times to the facility as the Dodge aircraft plant. It was, in fact, the Ford aircraft plant. I knew several people who worked there throughout WWII. Today the spot is a shopping mall appropriatly named, Ford City. I wish I had my $25.00 back.

Ron Flowers
rflowers@prodigy.net

[Larry Clark]

Ron- I hope you have not yet thrown out Phil Egan's book. He is correct that before Tucker had the plant where the Ford City Shopping Center now is that it was a Dodge engine plant. I have copies of government documents in front of me that so refer to the plant. If you want to see some evidence that may be available at your public library, see Business Week articles on 2/23/46 and 9/28/46 that have stories about Preston Tucker first getting a commitment for the plant and then getting the plant from the War Assets Administration, "the mammoth Dodge aircraft engine plant at Chicago." I encourage you to give Phil's book a second read as it is a valuable book from someone with great insights because he was a player in the creation of the Tucker '48 car.

Larry

[Guest]

Larry, thanks for the reply and I will read the book again.

Ron

[Pipes5780]

The Dodge plant was bilt for Dodge to build B-29 engines. After the war it sat empty until Tucker purchased it. After Tucker the Ford Motor Company purchased the plant and used it from 1950 to 1959. The 9 year stint from Ford is how the area and mall became known as "Ford City." However in the time of Tucker it was most definetly "The Dodge Chicago Plant."